Grace Gelder

My first degree was in Visual Performance at a tiny art college in Devon which is where my love of photography first started. After travelling in Europe and India I gained a place on an MA in International Photojournalism, Travel and Documentary Photography which was based in Dalian, China. The work I produced on my MA in China and Mongolia was published and exhibited internationally and in the UK. In the last 10 years I've been based in London where I shoot for a variety of clients and teach at Tate, V&A, Wellcome Collection and Conway Hall. I have extensive experience working with the topic of self-perception in photography which I use as a tool to promote a healthy sense of ourselves. I have developed a variety of approaches to the traditional structure of a photo-shoot and continues to research the role of photographer and subject, exploring new understandings of the ethics of image-making.

Niaz Maleknia

I was born in Iran in 1969 and left at the outbreak of the Revolution in 1979-at a time when photographs in Iran were banned. Escaping in the middle of the night, we left to come to London. I completed my schooling at the International school ,and went on to study English Literature and got my BA from London University. I worked as a fashion buyer for a number of years, before deciding to go back to university to become a teacher. I am both Montessori trained, and in Secondary English. I have tried to bring the Montessori approach into my secondary teaching. I have taught in Scotland, Brazil, Holland and Italy. Having worked and lived in these countries has enabled me to develop my teaching skills and to use the different approaches to education. Photography has always interested me, particularly the works of Eggleston, Klein and Friedlander. I enjoy reading about photography theory, and I bring theory and practical photography into the workshops I run. I enjoy taking photographs of things which simply don't matter.I have a particular interest in Documentary Photography. Making young photographers think about the images they are taking and to discuss and critic them is my aim. I recently completed my postgraduate course in photography at London College of Communication.